Brian Orakpo has answered some questions already, at least as a pass rusher in the preseason. It certainly appears he’ll do the same once the regular season starts. If nothing else, he’ll be a threat to hit the passer, with his speed and strength — and playing next to Albert Haynesworth.
But other questions remain:
Should he be a full-time end? The early answer is no. Just because he’s shown he can be a good pass rusher does not mean anything more than that. Playing the run is as much technique as anything and if Washington replaced Andre Carter with him, the run defense would suffer. Like him or not, Carter would be better against the run than a rookie Orakpo. Also, the Redskins want to keep him fresh to rush the passer (yes, they want Carter fresh, too, but he can’t play anything but end; Orakpo also is potentially more explosive as a rusher). Can’t argue with this logic since that’s why they drafted him. If the experiment of moving him to linebacker fails, he can always move back in the future.
Has he improved at linebacker? In some ways, yes. His pass drops have been fine; the coaches have been pleased with him getting to the right areas. He’s getting better taking on tight ends and fullbacks against the run. But he needs to do a much better job of keeping his eyes on the tight end. This happened vs. Baltimore and again last week.
Against the Steelers, he was beaten off the line of scrimmage by the tight end and only a very hesitant quarterback saved Orakpo. He showed good athleticism by getting back into coverage and making a play. But the fact is, the tight end was initially open off the line and a quick throw would have resulted in a touchdown. On the play, Orakpo turned his eyes toward the crack back coming his way. That little glance allowed the tight end to break free. In the future, to combat a crackback, he must lower his shoulder and absorb any hit while staying focused on the tight end. Can he master this nuance? It will take time. The Redskins might have to shift his responsibilities while he’s learning, otherwise he will get burned. And then the answer to the first question will change. For now, however, no other linebacker offers his strength vs. the run, similar to what Marcus Washington could do (but clearly he’s not there yet). The Redskins also can be creative with him rushing as a linebacker. Don’t forget, many pegged him as a better fit as a linebacker in a 3-4.
Orakpo shows major promise at end and looks every bit a rookie at linebacker. He can make an impact at one while learning the other. Will his impact override his mistakes? That’s the biggest question and it won’t be answered any time soon.
